Written by
James Varney, The Washington Times Published: 28 March 2020

In the midst of some state and local authorities moving to close gun shops during the coronavirus emergency, the Trump administration stepped in Saturday to make clear that such outlets are “essential.”

The Second Amendment which guarantees private gun ownership as a constitutional right in the U.S. also extends protections to commercial gun sellers, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which issued the guidance.

That guidance came on the heels of a Friday letter to the Trump administration from the Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners of California (GOC), which requested such classification.

“It is very encouraging to see CISA include the firearms industry as essential,” GOA senior vice president Erich Pratt said in a statement. “In these uncertain times, the ability to protect yourself — and to acquire firearms, magazines and ammunition — should not be ignored.”